City commuters will soon say goodbye to No.8 public buses -- dubbed "Fast and Furious" for the way they are often driven -- which will be replaced by electric air-conditioned vehicles later this year.
The non-air-conditioned buses are being phased out as they do not meet standards set under the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority's (BMTA) bus service reform plan.
Bidding was held to find an operator for the 20-kilometre route which runs from Memorial Bridge (Saphan Phut) in the heart of Bangkok to Happyland Market in Bang Kapi district.
Thai Smile Bus was selected to provide the service for seven years and the company will introduce a fleet of air-conditioned electric vehicles on the route.
Thai Bus Transport, one of three firms contracted to operate the old No.8 service, said it ran up losses of up to 30 million baht during the lockdown and is now forced to shut down.
Sawitree Siharat, 41, a supervisor at the No.8 bus depot, said all "hot" buses will be withdrawn, not just those on the No.8 route, under the BMTA's bus operation plan.
She said she was upset when she heard the news. Many staff, including bus drivers, are too old to start a new job, she said.
Many passengers had complained of speeding and collisions on several routes, including the notorious No.8 route.
